St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-12
shortly after 6 o'clock on the 10Th of No
yenlber.

shortly after 6 o'clock OH the 10Th of No
Venlber.
The plaintiff then rested his case
In opening the case for the defendant, Mr.
Erwin stated that the testimony of Mrs.
Overton would be the main defense and
that as 1t would be impossible to get
through with her testimony during the af-
ternoon, he asked for continuance until
Monday. This was refused, and
MRS. ovERToN TOOK THE STAND
to testify in her own behalf She walked
gracefully to the clerks desk, raised her
small and shapely right hand. and took the
oath. AS she took the stand a deep GRIM
son mantled her cheeks, but her voice never
faltered. She spoke very low, and it was
difficult to catch her words at the reporters
table. distance of not over twelve feet
from the stand, but after few minutes she
regalned her compoSure somewhat. and
then she could be distinctly heard in the
farthest corner of the room.
My name is Annie f. Overflow" she
said. 81 ain the wife of j. b. Overton, the
plaintiff. And then she told story es-
sentlally the same as stated in the answer
to the plaintiffs petition to the divorce,
published in the GLOBE yesterday. In ref
erence to the first time that Mr.. Overtom
said:
He came home one Sunday morning while
we were living with Mrs Wilson, and asked me
to get his things, as he intended to pack up
and leave. We had lived unhappiy together,
he said, and he was going to leave me. told
him he could get his things himself. He went
upstairs and packed his trunk. After
while he returned and asked me if didn't
think we could get along together. told
him didn't think we could, that we had lived
unhappiy for Il number of years. He said
that he thought we could, and that we would
try to do so. He was then superintendent of
the water works. He had not resigned his
position or made any other arrangements
TO leave the city so far as |
know. had no property or money
at that time, and he said nothing
about learning me any. There was no
promise made on my part that made him
change his mind. He repeated his threat of
leaving me in the fall of 1874, soon after the
birth of my daughter. On this occasion he
came home at noon. angry as usual, and
went through the form of packing his trunk.
He took the trunk into the kitchen and said
he would send dray after it, No dray
came. He returned home at night and again
asked me if didn't think we could get along
together. l answered him the same as l did
before, and again he said he thought we
could if we would try.
CALLED HER NAMES.
By the defendant counsel-You NAV
state at what time and places during a
space OF seven years prior to last November
the plaintiff has used vile and abusive lam
guage towards you.
Witness-I don't know as l can state any
particular times. II was an every day oc-
currence.
Counsel-You may repeat some of the epi-
thets he used in addressing you.
Witness-Must give the exact words?
The Court-If they are unfit to repeat give
fhfair frCr, OH nfn,
Witness-I don't know as l can without re-
peating his exact words.
Defendants Counse-W ell. repeat it, then.
Witness-Well, he called me -, a,
street walker, liar and a fool. These
terms were always accompanied with vile
oaths. 1t made no difference whether
the children were present or not, lie
would use the terms, just the
same. He has accused me of lack of loyalty
and virtue in the presence of my children,
servants, sister and before Mr.. Stanley
Chase He once, on the night of the I4th of
November. charged me with infidelity with
Mr. Gravius in Mr.. GravIuS' presence. Dur
ing the afternoon of Nov. IA Mr.. Gravius
came up to the house and told me he had been
accused by a man who claimed to be de-
tective with having had improper relations
with me, and that the man had demanded
money to keep still. When Mr. Overton came
home told him about it. He at once rushed
from the house and went to Mr.. Hurd's. MIR.
Hurd was asked by Mr.. Overton to make out
the papers necessary in applying for a
divorce. bnt he refused to do so until
Mr.. Gravlus came in and he heard his story
/ slept in the same bed with Oyerton the
night OF Nov. II. He made no accusations
against me that night. When went to bed
he asked ME to
LIE ON HIS ARM.
After talking few minutes we went to
sleep.Nothing particular happened that night.
The witness then told of the scenes at
Overton's residence on the night of the 18th
of November. How GraviuS was ordered
to leave the house and Overton's threats.
That night she slept apart FROM her hus-
band. He came to her door twice during
the night and wanted to be admitted, but
she refused to open the door.
lone day during the three weeks that fol-
lowed, before ] went East" said she, 81 asked
HIM to look me in the eye and tell me that what
he said about seeing Mr.. Gravius and myself
through the register was true
HE said No, mamma, | only imagined
it. Another day he came home angry and
put his hand to his hip pocket as if to draw
pistol.'
The witness then related that Overton
insisted on her going to her parents in
Maine, and that she was finally compelled
to leave her children against her will.
1.-The night on which / was to leave,". she
continued. "he came into the room where /
was and began crying piteously, and declar-
ing he could not let me go. 1t was finally
agreed that / should go and return in two
months. During my absence Overton sent
me SO a month. This was insufficient TO my
needs and / determined to come back to st.
Paul and sue for divorce. My sister wrote
MIR. Gravius to lend me the money and he sent
1t. On the night of MIR. Gravius' arrest, Nov.
19, was locked in the servants room. On
the following Monday / was driven from
home and went to Mrs. Knapp's. 1 have
seen my children but twice since then and
they seemed to be afraid to talk to me-
Counsel-Did you ever have criminal rela-
tions with Gravius.
WitnesS-No, never.
The court then adjourned, and the case
was continued until Monday morning.
Anarchist Neebe.
CIIIC AGO March --T0-dav Anarnhist